In the present specification the expression “pre-existing” refers to a cabinet that is transformed from its ordinary use as a cabinet, into a locker assembly by application of the present invention. However, this transformative application of the invention is only a preferred version of the invention, it being appreciated that a purpose built cabinet as a locker assembly could be made fully functional in the factory and shipped, having the same construction as described generally herein. However, one application employs a simple construction of parts which facilitate flat packing and ease of transportation to sites that already have the existing cabinet.
Lockers have been around for at least 100 years. Therefore the present invention falls within a mature art, and consequently according to the applicant, there was no real problem extant at the filing date of the present application in need of solution. This means the inventor was the first to recognise the need for the present invention as an alternative to what went before. Therefore, the present invention is not considered deterministic in any way but rather originating with the inventor both in terms of recognition of the need, and the inventor's solution thereto, rather than to any notional problem as may be perceived ex-post facto during patent examination. A search of the prior art carried out by the Australian Patent Office revealed the following documents, US 201210209763 A1 (ZABBATINO); US 2012/0206029 A1 (ZABBATINO); DE 3114980 A1 (PHILIPP KIRSCH GMBH); FR 2408103 A1 (REDIES DIETHARD). The two ZABBATINO specifications describe a locker assembly where individual locker boxes are made up from walls and each having a front door and all slide into and fit into a refrigerator as a block. Each locker is a self-contained box within the main cabinet. This means they are all effectively independent even though the whole locker unit fits inside the refrigerator. The PHILIPP KIRSCH GMBH and REDIES DIETHARD specifications concern the use drawers in a refrigerator rather than doors. The drawers operate similar to a filing cabinet and similar to ZABBATINO each drawer represents a self-contained box inside the refrigerator. Each of these locker assemblies of the prior art operate on a different principle to applicant's assembly and consequently are considered background art only.